#263 Dakota Robertson - Writing Online Made Me $1M+ by 26

Jan 16, 2025

Dakota Robertson, Founder of Growth Ghost, shares his journey from struggling to make ends meet to building a million-dollar ghostwriting business by age 26. He emphasizes the importance of clarity, problem-solving, and consistency, guiding writers on how to find profitable niches—even with a small audience. Dakota discusses turning tweets into revenue and the unsexy habits of discipline and iteration. He highlights that selling is a crucial skill that builds trust, proving that focusing on solving problems can lead to genuine success.

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ANECDOTE

Nicotine And Modafinil During Launches

Dakota abused nicotine and modafinil during launches but later stopped when he saw health impacts on his HRV whoop data.
He set guardrails and recognized addictive tendencies to regain control over stimulants.

ADVICE

Choose High-Leverage Work

Focus on what you enjoy and what generates revenue, then double down on it.
Let go of time-intensive work that distracts from a higher-leverage business model.

ADVICE

Match Pricing To Client Maturity

Price services to match client maturity and systems; lower-priced clients often stay longer.
Avoid charging high retainers to clients who want only vanity metrics like followers.

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Watch This NEXT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlK2P76_ZZs

Dakota Robertson didn’t build a $1M business by going viral—he did it by mastering the fundamentals.

He built a system that works—and stuck to it.

In our conversation, he shared the exact steps he took to go from barely making ends meet to running a million-dollar writing business by 27.

Most writers focus on the wrong things:
- Trying to appeal to everyone instead of a specific audience
- Writing without a simple goal or system
- Being afraid to sell their work

But Dakota kept it simple and focused on what matters:
- Clarity
- Solving specific problems
- Consistency in execution

Here’s what we covered in the episode:
- How Dakota turned tweets into long-term revenue
- The unsexy habits: discipline and iteration
- How to find niches that pay—even with a small audience
- Why selling is a skill—and how writing builds trust
- Why solving problems beats entertaining every time

This isn’t just a conversation about writing—it’s a roadmap for freedom.

Freedom to work anywhere.

Freedom to grow without limits.

Freedom to turn your ideas into income.

If you want to learn how to write online and build a business that lasts, this is the episode for you.

Connect with Dakota: https://www.instagram.com/yodakota/?hl=en

(00:00) Introduction to Dakota Robertson
(01:10) Overcoming Addictions
(08:10) Life in Colombia
(11:42) Why Dakota Shut Down his Agency
(14:30) Running an Agency vs. Coaching Business
(17:36) Understanding Your Client
(19:42) Helping Others Achieve Freedom
(24:17) Breaking Free from Scarcity Mindset
(27:29) Lessons Learned from Mentors
(32:08) Sahil Bloom’s Five pillars of Wealth
(37:10) Dakota's Early Life
(42:41) Processing Loss and Moving forward
(50:17) Trying Ayahuasca
(52:24) The Importance of Fatherhood and Raising Kids
(58:27) Social Trends and Political Correctness
(59:58) Eastern Medicine, Ayahuasca, and Alternative Healing
(01:03:04) Personal Experiences with Energy Healing
(01:06:25) The Challenge of Growing an Audience
(01:07:52) The Curse of Knowledge in Teaching
(01:10:25) Would Dakota Ghostwrite a Book?
(01:16:03) Understanding Your Audience
(01:18:27) Building Credibility in Your Niche
(01:24:11) The Reality of Building a Sustainable Brand
(01:30:37) Dakota’s Personal and Business Goals
(01:36:04) Learning from Alex Hormozi
(01:41:32) Lessons from Software Development and Startups
(01:45:22) Overcoming Delusions in Business Growth

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